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〃Oh； how's that？〃 Judd was at his back。
〃He wasn't toeing some party line。〃
〃Are you saying you think there's some giant around here someplace？ For God's sake！〃 Mick turned to Judd。 His face was difficult to see the twilight。 But his voice was sober with belief。
〃Yes。 I think he was telling the truth。〃
〃That's absurd。 That's ridiculous。 No。〃 Judd hated Mick that moment。 Hated his naiveté； his passion to believe any half…witted story if it had a whiff of romance about it。 And this？ This was the worst； the most preposterous 。
〃No；〃 he said again。 〃No。 No。 No。〃 The sky was porcelain smooth； and the outline of the hills black as pitch。
〃I'm fucking freezing；〃 said Mick out of the ink。 〃Are you staying here or walking with me？〃 Judd shouted： 〃We're not going to find anything this way。〃
〃Well it's a long way back。〃
〃We're just going deeper into the hills。〃
〃Do what you like…I'm walking。〃 His footsteps receded： the dark encased him。 After a minute； Judd followed。
The night was cloudless and bitter。 They walked on； their collars up against the chill； their feet swollen in their shoes。 Above them the whole sky had bee a parade of stars。 A triumph of spilled light； from which the eye could make as many patterns as it had patience for。 After a while； they slung their tired arms around each other； for fort and warmth。
About eleven o'clock； they saw the glow of a window in the distance。
The woman at the door of the stone cottage didn't smile； but she understood their condition； and let them in。 There seemed to be no purpose in trying to explain to either the woman or her crippled husband what they had seen。 The cottage had no telephone； and there was no sign of a vehicle； so even had they found some way to express themselves； nothing could be done。
With mimes and face…pullings they explained that they were hungry and exhausted。 They tried further to explain they were lost； cursing themselves for leaving their phrase…book in the VW。 She didn't seem to understand very much of what they said； but sat them down beside a blazing fire and put a pan of food on the stove to heat。
They ate thick unsalted pea soup and eggs； and occasionally smiled their thanks at the woman。 Her husband sat beside the fire； making no attempt to talk； or even look at the visitors。
The food was good。 It buoyed their spirits。
They would sleep until morning and then begin the long trek back。 By dawn the bodies in the field would be being quantified； identified； parcelled up and dispatched to their families。 The air would be full of reassuring noises； cancelling out the moans that still rang in their ears。 There would be helicopters； lorry loads of men organizing the clearing…up operations。 All the rites and paraphernalia of a civilized disaster。
And in a while； it would be palatable。 It would bee part of their history： a tragedy； of course； but one they could explain； classify and learn to live with。 All would be well； yes； all would be well。 e morning。
The sleep of sheer fatigue came on them suddenly。 They lay where they had fallen； still sitting at the table； their heads on their crossed arms。 A litter of empty bowls and bread crusts surrounded them。
They knew nothing。 Dreamt nothing。 Felt nothing。
Then the thunder began。
In the earth； in the deep earth； a rhythmical tread； as of a titan； that came； by degrees； closer and closer。
The woman woke her husband。 She blew out the lamp and went to the door。 The night sky was luminous with stars： the hills black on every side。
The thunder still sounded： a full half minute between every boom； but louder now。 And louder with every new step。
They stood at the door together； husband and wife； and listened to the night…hills echo back and forth with the sound。 There was no lightning to acpany the thunder。
Just the boom…Boom…Boom…It made the ground shake： it threw dust down from the door…lintel； and rattled the window…latches。
Boom…Boom…They didn't know what approached； but whatever shape it took； and whatever it intended； there seemed no sense in running from it。 Where they stood； in the pitiful shelter of their cottage； was as safe as any nook of the forest。 How could they choose； out of a hundred thousand trees； which would be standing when the thunder had passed？ Better to wait： and watch。
The wife's eyes were not good； and she doubted what she saw when the blackness of the hill changed shape and reared up to block the stars。 But her husband had seen it too： the unimaginably huge head； vaster in the deceiving darkness； looming up and up； dwarfing the hills themselves with its ambition。
He fell to his knees； babbling a prayer； his arthritic legs twisted beneath him。
His wife screamed： no words she knew could keep this monster at bay…no prayer； no plea； had power over it。
In the cottage； Mick woke and his outstretched arm； twitching with a sudden cramp； wiped the plate and the lamp off the table。
They smashed。
Judd woke。
The screaming outside had stopped。 The woman had disappeared from the doorway into the forest。 Any tree； any tree at all； was better than this sight。 Her husband still let a string of prayers dribble from his slack mouth； as the great leg of the giant rose to take another step…Boom…The cottage shook。 Plates danced and smashed off the dresser。 A clay pipe rolled from the mantelpiece and shattered in the ashes of the hearth。
The lovers knew the noise that sounded in their substance： that earth…thunder。
Mick reached for Judd； and took him by the shoulder。
〃You see；〃 he said； his teeth blue…grey in the darkness of the cottage。 〃See？ See？〃 There was a kind of hysteria bubbling behind his words。 He ran to the door； stumbling over a chair in the dark。 Cursing and bruised he staggered out into the night…Boom…The thunder was deafening。 This time it broke all the windows in the cottage。 In the bedroom one of the roof…joists cracked and flung debris downstairs。
Judd joined his lover at the door。 The old man was now face down on the ground； his sick and swollen fingers curled； his begging lips pressed to the damp soil。
Mick was looking up； towards the sky。 Judd followed his gaze。
There was a place that showed no stars。 It was a darkness in the shape of a man； a vast； broad human frame； a colossus that soared up to meet heaven。 It was not quite a perfect giant。 Its outline was not tidy； it seethed and swarmed。
He seemed broader too； this giant； than any real man。 His legs were abnormally thick and stumpy； and his arms were not long。 The hands； as they clenched and unclenched； seemed oddly…jointed and over…delicate for its torso。
Then it raised one huge； flat foot and placed it on the earth； taking a stride towards them。
Boom…The step brought the roof collapsing in on the cottage。
Everything that the car…thief had said was true。 Popolac was a city and a giant； and it had gone into the hills。
Now their eyes were being accustomed to the night light。
They could see in ever more horrible detail the way this monster was constructed。 It was a masterpiece of human engineering： a man made entirely of men。 Or rather； a sexless giant； made of men and women and children。 All the citizens of Popolac writhed and strained in the body of this flesh…knitted giant； their muscles stretched to breaking point； their bones close to snapping。
They could see how the architects of Popolac had subtly altered the proportions of the human body； how the thing had been made squatter to lower its centre of gravity； how its legs had been made elephantine to bear the weight of the torso； how the head was sunk low on to the wide shoulders； so that the problems of a weak neck had been minimized。
Despite these malformations； it was horribly life…like。 The bodies that were bound together to make its surface were naked but for their harnesses； so that its surface glistened in the starlight； like one vast human torso。 Even the muscles were well copied； though simplified。 They could see the way the roped bodies pushed and pulled against each other in solid cords of flesh and bone。 They could see the intertwined people that made up t